Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima says emerging technologies such as virtual reality mean video games will soon be better at conveying emotions than our own real-world interactions.
The veteran designer made the bold prediction at this year’s Develop conference in Brighton, where he was giving a keynote alongside PS4 system architect Mark Cerny — with whom he recently toured a number of studios.
“As we get nearer to the ability to add through technology the ability to portray more expression and things such as temperature, it will soon be easier to reach out through games online than actual interaction between human beings,” mused Kojima, as reported by Develop.
“We’re really close to the point when it will be easier to get emotions through games than actual people.”
Using his own Metal Gear series as an example, the Death Stranding developer explained how, over a relatively short period of time, technology has advanced to the point where players feel increasingly connected to game worlds.
“In the original Metal Gear you could only set a camera from a top angle,” he explained. “[The arrival of] 3D polygons [with the original PlayStation] allowed players to experience what it’s like under a table or inside a locker.”
That, though, was only the tip of the iceberg, and as VR headsets continue to assault the consumer market, Kojima says “framed square” gaming — that is, experiences confined to screens — will slowly disappear, paving the way for “infinite” possibilities and true emotional immersion.
For the full story, and to find out what else Kojima has been up to in Brighton, head on over to Develop.